The unique extreme sport of cyclocross is one of the toughest tests of pedal power, and it’s becoming more and more mainstream on Vancouver Island.

The Cross on the Rock series held races Saturday and Sunday in Nanaimo, with the championships at Beban Park followed by a series race at Bowen Park the next day.

Organizers report that 189 different riders participated on the weekend, 139 at the Beban race and 154 at Bowen. Sunday’s field was the second-largest ever at a Cross on the Rock race.

The next series race is slated for Oct. 30 at Ladysmith’s Transfer Beach. For more information about the series, please visit the Cross on the Rock website. For information about local cyclocross clinics, please click here.

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